Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Valentin’

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Valentin’ characterized by its SMALL sized blooms with PALE PINK ray-florets and YELLOW-GREEN disc florets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘VALENTIN’ is a product of a breeding-program which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a small type flower, a 7 week response and a compact plant height. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant. ‘VALENTIN’ is a seedling from a cross in a breeding program maintained under the control of inventor. The female parent is #92.0424-unpatented-, an unamed seedling not available to inventor for description. The male parent is unknown, being a mixed pollation of a group of male parents. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Rob Noodelijk in a controlled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout Holland in May 1998. The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘VALENTIN’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in August 1998 in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout Holland.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum bearing small sized blooms with pale pink ray-florets and yellow-green disc florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemem is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar;

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage and petiole of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification dendranthema grandiflora. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown in a greenhouse in Rijsenhout Holland in a photo-periodic controlled crop under conditions generally used in commercial practice. The greenhouse temperatures during this crop were at day-time between 18° C. and 25° C. and at night 20° C. The photo-periodic response time in this crop was 47 days after an average of eight long days. After this long day period to flowering growth retardants were applied 6 times in an average dose of 1.5 gram/liter water. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. This new variety produces small sized blooms with pale pink ray-florets and yellow-green disc-florets blooming on the plant for 5 weeks. This new variety of chrysanthemum has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughout successive propagations however the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as light intensity and temperature. To show the phenotype as described ‘VALENTIN’ can be planted without assimilation lightning (high pressure sodium lamps) between week 50 and week 40 of the next year under greenhouse conditions in Holland. With assimilation lightning (minimum level 2500 lux) it can be planted year round under greenhouse conditions in Holland.

A distinguishing characteristic of ‘VALENTIN’ is the darker colored reverse side of the petals. From the varieties known to inventor only the variety HOGGAR (Ser. No. 09/561,926) is similar for this characteristic. In flower size, shape and color however, HOGGAR is very different form ‘VALENTIN’. A comparison is made in table 2.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘VALENTIN’ as a new and distinct variety. The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society color chart, edition 1995.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of CULTIVAR ‘VALENTIN’ Bud Size Small; cross-section 0.9 cm, height 0.7 cm Outside Color Red-purple 74 B Involucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Involucral bracts Not present among disc-florets Involucral bracts Green 138 A color Bloom Type Daisy Height Flat Size Small Fully Expanded 4.0-4.5 cm. Number of blooms Approx. 5-6 blooms per per branch branch Performance on the 5 weeks plant Seeds Not produced Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum Color Center of the flower Immature yellow-green 151 A (disc-florets) Mature yellow-green 151 D Color of upper Red-purple 69 B surface of the ray- florets Color of the lower Red-purple 74 D surface of the ray- florets Tonality from A pot mum with pale pink Distance flowers and a purple buds Discoloration to Red-purple 69 C color Ray florets Texture Upper and under side smooth Number 30-32 (2 rows) Cross-section Flat Longitudinal axis of Straight majority Length of corolla Very short tube Ray-floret length 2.0-2.2 cm. Ray-floret width 0.7-0.9 cm. Ratio length/width Low Shape of tip Round Disc florets Disc diameter 1.0-1.2 cm. Distribution of disc Numerous clearly visible at florets all stages of flowering. Shape Tubular Color Yellow-green 151 A Receptacle shape Conical raised Reproductive Organs Stamen (present in Yellow, thin, 3 mm. in length disc florets only) Number of stamen Grown together as one Stamen color Yellow-green 144 C Pollen Present Pollen color Yellow-orange 13 A Styles (present in Yellow-green, thick both ray and disc florets) Style color Yellow-green 144 C Style Length 3 mm. Stigmas Green-yellow Stigma Width 1 mm. Ovaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Form A pot mum meant for indoor use Growth habit Spreading Growth rate Moderate Height 19.0-21.0 cm. Width 22.0-24.0 cm. Stem Color Green 138 A Stem Strength Weak Stem Brittleness Absent Stem Anthocyanin Absent Coloration Length of lateral From top to bottom 11-12 cm. branch Lateral branch color Green 138 A Lateral branch, Weak attachment Branching (average Pralific with 4-5 breaks number of lateral after pinching branches) Peduncle length 2.0-2.5 cm. Peduncle color Green 138 A

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison varieties ‘VALENTIN’ ‘HOGGAR’ Color of upper surface Red-purple 69 B Yellow 12 A of ray florets 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described 